


Lock All The Doors

by CheerUpLovely



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: F/M, Movie Night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-10
Updated: 2012-09-10
Packaged: 2017-11-13 23:46:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/509075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CheerUpLovely/pseuds/CheerUpLovely
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's movie night, date night, but they're both a little distracted...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lock All The Doors

**Author's Note:**

  * For [@_ClintBarton_](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=%40_ClintBarton_).



> To my Birdy, because I upset you with the last story, and I love you really.

Natasha and Clint sat side by side on the couch in Stark Tower. This has had become their tradition, Friday nights, movies and pizza in the cinema-style room that Tony had insisted that they needed, with no interruptions. It was a tradition they liked, something that grounded them, and something that they were in no hurry to change. Luckily, they didn't need to change it. Natasha had used her rather useful skills at overriding J.A.R.V.I.S to keep everyone out but them, unless they needed to be alerted to an emergency. Tonight, as the final scenes of Warrior played into the room, Clint was too busy paying attention to his partner, rather than getting somewhat emotional over the final scenes like he normal did. 

He was hoping that the seclusion of their Friday tradition would be enough to get her into talking to him, since she seemed to be actively avoiding it at that moment. He knew that something was bothering her, even though the others failed to notice, but whenever he asked her about it she repeatedly brushed him off, insisting that she was fine.

"You sure you're okay?" he asked her, as Tommy's glorified moment played on the screen before them and Clint - for once - was not watching intently. It was one of his favourite movies, but his concentration had been off today.

"Yes, I'm completely sure," she nodded, eyes still on the movie.

"Honestly?"

"One hundred percent sure," she nodded.

"You know you could tell me if there was-"

She turned to him, cutting him off with the simple action alone, sitting sideways on the two-person couch to face him. "Why are you so convinced that there's something wrong with me?" she asked.

There was another silence and he nodded, looking away from her. His focus held the attention of the movie for a moment, but she noticed the hurt expression he was trying to hide, and to make sure that he knew she wasn't as irritated as she sounded she took hold of his hand in her own and gave him a smile. It was visible in the blue-ish glow of the movie and his own irritations melted away at the sight.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "It's probably bugging you, me keep asking like this..."

"It's not bugging me," she assured him. "I just don't understand why it's bothering you so much."

"I know you hate me worrying over you," he acknowledged with a shrug. "I just can't help it."

"I don't hate it," she compromised. "It's nice to know that you care, but you really don't have to worry so much about me."

"Easier said than done," he mused.

"Still, perhaps worth trying sometime, yes?" she hinted to him.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You mind if now isn't one of those times?"

She sighed, leaning her head on her hand. "Clint, really, I'm fine." 

"See, as much as you say that, I can't believe you," he said, turning to face in a similar way to which she was sitting. The movie played forgotten in the background.

"You think I'm lying to you?" she tested him with narrowed eyes. If there was one claim to her reformed life, it was that for whatever lies she'd told, she'd never lied to Clint. 

"Not lying," he corrected quickly. "Just...not elaborating on the truth."

She was silent for a moment, then spoke softer than before. "Clint, there's nothing for you to worry about."

"Isn't there?" he questioned. "Nat, you've been quietier than usual for days. Any time someone speaks to you, you disappear to be alone, and you've barely slept in a week..." she turned her face away from him, staring back at the movie. She's been caught out. Damn those Hawk eyes of his. "You said you weren't looking for an escape from this life, so why are you searching for one now?" he asked her.

"I'm not looking to escape," she whispered.

"Then what?"

She was silent.

"Nat, come on...you can tell me. It's me. I'm your partner."

She shook her head. "It's ridiculous."

"I don't care how ridiculous it is," he shrugged. "You could tell me that you're imagining Thor in a dress and I won't care. I just don't want you to do whatever it is you're doing on your own any more."

She had to smile a little at his words and raised her eyes back to his. "I think I've finally come to terms with the fact that this is my life now," she mused. "Here, fighting the good fight, and with everything that's happened with us..." she covered his hand with her own "...it's surreal, and it doesn't seem...possible all the time."

And true to his word, he did seem to understand, turning her hand over in his and gripping it with more security. "I know what you mean."

"Sometimes, just before I open my eyes in the morning, I wonder whether it never happened," she whispered, "and that when I wake, I'll be back in the Red Room."

"You know that won't ever happen," he assured her.

"I know," she smiled lightly. "And that's why it's ridiculous. I know nothing's going to change, but it sometimes it seems so unbelievable that a person like me could fit into a life like this."

He leaned back slightly, looking into her eyes. "Do you like things how they are?" he asked.

She nodded. "You know I do."

"Then you shouldn't be so afraid that it's going to disappear," he smiled, settling his hands on her upper arms. "Look, Nat, no matter what happens, we're partners and we're always going to find a way to stay together. We're in this now and we're not backing out. So whenever you need convincing of that, just come and find me and we'll find a way to work it back into your head that this is the way things are supposed to be," he said softly, before letting his eyes fall over her body briefly. "And I can start that right now, by telling you that I love you more than anything in this universe."

She let out a soft laugh, more than familiar with the way his eyes trailed over her. "I love you, too," she assured him.

Their lips met as they had done a thousand times, but it still gave them the fresh feeling of something new and exciting, especially locked away in the room she'd programmed to keep everyone else out. "I'm sorry that I worry too much," he mumbled against her lips after they parted.

"I can forgive you," she nodded, "unless you start to go too far with it."

"Define 'too far'," he checked awkwardly.

"Following me around every second of the day would be definitely too far," she decided.

He laughed. "How do you know I don't do that anyway?" he teased her, brushing his lips along her jaw. "I see better from a distance, after all..."

"I know," she insisted immediately. "Besides, you're too busy watching the little one in your more immediate sight range..."

His smile grew wide, his eyes filling with a soft and familiar warmth. "Well, maybe you should stop training him with all your ninja creeping skills," he warned her gently. "He's too much like you for his own good."

"Not completely," she argued.

"No?" he laughed. 

"No," she agreed. "Every time I look at him, I see you."

He made a face at the idea. "His hair's too curly to look like me," he mused.

"What do you expect?" she teased. "Clearly I had the dominant hair genetics."

"Not to mention those eyes," he added. "And he's always sneaking up on me as well, like you."

She laughed, leaning up closer to him. "I'm training him well," she smirked, the movement felt against his lips. He didn't answer her this time, instead dragging her closer with one hand sliding to the back of her neck. She didn't fight the movement, she just moved into his lap, pressing them together in all the right places. This time when they broke for air, the fire burning in their eyes was more than just concern and reassurance. 

"You know," Clint wondered aloud, trailing kisses down her throat and landing on her collarbone. "Michael's already asleep...and Steve did offer to listen out in case he wakes up..."

"Hmm..." she agreed somewhat, losing control of logical thought for a moment as she felt his fingertips trailing down her spine. "And it is date night..."

He winked at her for a moment, pushing her down onto the small couch and allowing the movie credits to play in the background, barely hearing the closing music as her lips found that weak spot behind his ear. It might not be a conventional life, raising a young son in the same building as the other Avengers, but having a night for babysitters was certainly a bonus...


End file.
